, but there was a hint of
laughter in it.

"What did I say now?" inquired Rickey. "I'm sure I meant it to be
complimentary."

"It was," said Valiant. "I shall try to deserve your good opinion."

"But what a ghastly play!" exclaimed Shirley. "Where did you learn it?"

"We were playing Mis' Poly Gifford in the hospital," Rickey answered.
"She's got a whole lot of little pebbles that they cut out--"

"Oh, Rickey!" expostulated Shirley with a shudder.

"They _did_. She keeps them in a little pasteboard box like
wedding-cake, with a blue ribbon around it. She was showing it to Miss
Mattie Sue yesterday. She was telling her all about it. She said all the
women there showed each other their cuts and bragged about how long they
were."

Valiant's merriment rang out under the trees, but Shirley was crimson.
"Well, I don't think it's a nice play," she said decidedly.

"That's just the way," murmured Rickey disconsolately, "yesterday it was
_Romeo and Juliet_ with the Meredith children, and their mother had a
conniption fit."

"Was that gruesome, too?"

"Not so very. I only poisoned Rosebud and June and stabbed myself. I
don't call _that_ gruesome."

"You certainly have a highly developed taste for the dramatic," said
Shirley. "I wonder what your next effort will be."

"It's to-morrow," Rickey informed her. "We're going to have the duel
between Valiant and Sassoon."

The smile was stricken from John Valiant's face. A duel--_the_
duel--between Valiant and Sassoon! He felt his blood beat quickly. Had
there been such a thing in his father's life? Was that what had blighted
it?

"Only not here where it really happened, but in the Meredith orchard.
Greenie's going to be--"

"Ah ain'!" contradicted Greenie. "Ah ain' gwineter be dat Valiant,
nohow!"

"You are, too!" insisted Rickey wrathfully. "You needn't be so pickety
and choosety--and after she kills Sassoon, we put the bloodhounds on her
trail."

Greenie tittered. "Dey ain' no dawg eroun' heah'd tech _me_," she said,
"en 'sides--"

"But, Rickey," Shirley interposed, "that wasn't a murder. That was a
duel between gentlemen. They don't--"

"I know it," assented Rickey cheerfully. "But it makes it more exciting.
_Will_ you come, Miss Shirley, deed and double? I won't charge you any
admission."

"I can't promise," said Shirley. "I might stand the duel, but I'm afraid
the hounds would be too blood-curdling. By the way," she added, "isn't
it about time Miss Matt